Here on earth, clouds are relatively simple phenomena: visible masses of water vapor making their way across the sky. But in the world of IT, “the cloud” is a bit more complex, referring to technology that allows businesses to take a more hands-off approach to managing their IT resources.

Although WordPress is more secure than it used to be, outdated installations can be a potential threat to your website and the data that is hosted on the servers. In an attempt to shut down hackers before they can exploit vulnerabilities, the WordPress security team recently rolled out a new version that patches security loopholes and fixes several known bugs.

Picture yourself receiving a phone call from kidnappers saying that they have snatched your only child while demanding a ridiculous amount of money for their safety. Now imagine a similar scenario, but this attack is geared towards Microsoft Office 365 users, complete with a ransom note and an audio message informing victims that their files have already been encrypted.

For some NBA fans, the Milwaukee Bucks have long been a laughingstock on court. However, their most recent loss is no laughing matter. According to Yahoo! Sports, last month a team employee unknowingly sent out names, addresses, Social Security numbers, compensation information and dates of birth of players to a spoofed email account operated by a hacker.

News broke recently that the Washington Redskins reported a laptop stolen that contained thousands of medical records for NFL players. The trainer who was responsible for the laptop claims that it did not contain any HIPAA protected data, but the impact remains largely the same.

The worrisome rise of ransomware doesn’t seem to be slowing as Microsoft recently announced the detection of self-propagating iterations of the malware. With this evolution, it is essential for SMBs to update their understanding of this security threat in order to properly protect themselves.

Not that long ago, VoIP services were a new and revolutionary concept. Nowadays, internet-based voice communication is commonplace among SMBs, which means it’s time to turn our attention toward improving their security. Without a thorough understanding of what is needed to protect your VoIP systems, you could be vulnerable to cyberattacks.

A recent initiative to give healthcare patients access to the notes their doctor or clinician writes about their visit is continuing its meteoric rise across the country. OpenNotes began a few years ago by researching the benefits of allowing patients to have access to their doctor’s notes.

Unfortunately, we’re confronted with new web security threats every day, and today is no different. Experts have exposed a flaw in ImageMagick, one of the internet’s most commonly used image processors, that could put your site in harm’s way. By learning more about this vulnerability you’ll take the first step toward better protecting your content.

Hackers come in all shapes and sizes. From kids trying to gain notoriety on the Internet to political groups trying to send a message, the motives for a cyber attack vary widely. So how can you protect yourself? It all starts with getting to know your enemy a little better.